Whether choosing to build a pumped up daily driver, canyon carver, show queen, or full blown track car, Bajas and Foresters are generally not on the list. As far as the import enthusiast world is concerned, Subaru Bajas and Foresters are not the first choices one thinks of when selecting a Subaru AWD platform. Let's face it, they just don't fit the image of "cool" when they roll off the assembly line. What is very cool is the simple fact that both cars come available from the factory with a turbocharged 2.5 liter flat four, AWD, and most OEM along with after-market goodies for the WRX and STi will bolt right up to either one. When it comes right down to it, both these cars are wolves in sheep's clothing. Sleepers just don't get much better than this right out of the box(ERR)!
While RG and I (VincenzoL, Enzochan, fchoncho, and OldSchoolJunkY on some of my favorite forums) will both be modding our cars in many similar ways, they will still be quite different. Similar in the fact that they both can accept many of the same mods since Subaru cars are notorious for their interchangeability with OEM components. The Forester is based on an Impreza chassis while the Baja is built on a longer wheelbase Legacy chassis. With my '08 Foz I will be lowering it the proper way, using all OEM parts to give it the ride height and correct suspension geometry of a GD chassis WRX, while RG will be trying to improve his suspension handling and still retain his Baja's higher ground clearance. Two cars with interchangeable parts resulting in two very different results. One for outrigging, the other for corner carving.
- VL
